In Kankakee County, Illinois, the impact of a deadly tornado is still visible two months after the disaster struck. The community of Aroma Park bears the scars of the storm, which claimed one life and left a path of widespread destruction.
In the aftermath of the tornado, the town is grappling with the extensive damage. Many residents remain displaced, anxiously awaiting the chance to rebuild their homes. Some are considering leaving the area permanently, frustrated by delays from contractors and the slow response of insurance companies.
Strewn across the debris-strewn properties are remnants of everyday life—mattresses, toys, and other personal belongings—marking the spots where homes once stood. The scene serves as a stark reminder of the storm’s fury.
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Aroma Park was one of several communities devastated by the EF-3 tornado back in March. The storm also wreaked havoc in Lake Village, Indiana, where it claimed two more lives, echoing the tragedy experienced in Kankakee County.
It was one of the towns ravaged by an EF-3 tornado in March, killing one person, while similar damage was seen in Lake Village, Indiana, where two others died.
“It’s unbelievable just the devastation,” Aroma Park resident Roger Forbes said.
Forbes has lived in Aroma Park for more than 40 years. He feels like one of the lucky ones, as much of his home is still intact, but his roof still needs major repairs. Like many of his neighbors, he’s still waiting for a visit from his contractors.
“It’s goin pretty well, but they’re all so busy, the insurance companies, the people doing the work,” Forbes said.
Just a few houses down, other homeowners were not as fortunate, with roofs still collapsed and debris scattered everywhere.
Forbes says a handful of his neighbors have decided to just move elsewhere.
“Couple of my friends down the street there they lost everything, everything personal, nothing left,” Forbes said. “Just unbelievable.”
READ MORE | 911 calls released from night of deadly EF3 tornado in Kankakee County; residents still recovering
Other homeowners are making significant progress, like Chuck Mathis, who has already replaced his roof and some other parts of the home. He has a hefty cost, already surpassing $45,000, with more work still needed.
“I just feel darn lucky I’m still alive, because that was nasty,” Mathis said. “I’ve been through some rough things in my life, but that was enough to scare me.”
Aroma Park Mayor Brian Stump says they did not meet the threshold for federal or state funding. He says it’s a day-by-day effort from the whole community, trying to get back to normalcy.
“It’s been amazing, from day one it’s neighbors helping neighbors,” Stump said. “We’ve had people come from all over the place, not just the county, but the whole state.”
Some of the homeowners say it still could take months before contractors visit their homes, and again, others are just deciding to not come back, but all of them are just relying on each other to continue moving forward.
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